My sister-in-law was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 at an extremely early stage. She underwent six cycles of Chemotherapy as part of her healing process and emerged victorious in the deadly battle. Additionally, she had to take Radiation therapy to complement her treatment.
The Relapse:
Though she recovered once, there were two relapses that her body couldn’t bear. She passed away in 2015, but her story lives on, and her courage continues to inspire all of us to this date. The more people know about her journey, the prouder we feel because it will give renewed hope to every cancer survivor and fighter out there.
The Importance of Diet:
I feel that the diet you follow is crucial. It is why you must have a special menu that helps you get all the nutrients you lose during the strenuous Chemotherapy sessions. The doctors prescribed her a routine of eating habits and dishes to replenish lost energy. In my opinion, it is excellent and speeds up the recovery process.
The Support of the Medical Staff:
The doctors were accommodating and took time to discuss the possible treatments and how to proceed. We had complete faith in the experts at our service, and there was never any confusion regarding the procedure.
The best part of being treated by such experienced medical staff is that you can have blind faith in them because they understand the human body and the treatment needs.
From preparing the fighter to ensuring that the chemo sessions were done timely and accurately, the doctors helped us in every way possible.
Career Mauled:
My sister-in-law’s personal and professional life was undoubtedly affected by her cancer. She has a pregnant daughter and couldn’t be by her side during both deliveries.
It is a tender period when a daughter needs her mother the most, but the circumstances are such that she can’t. After her recovery, she travelled abroad and took a break from the monotonous life here, but it relapsed.
On the work front, she was associated with Air India as an assistant manager and took a break from work during her treatment. I remember she was diagnosed one year before her retirement, and after her recovery, she was delighted to return to work.
However, she worked only for a few weeks before she retired officially. She was highly dedicated to excellence, and her work records show her skills.
Genetic Reasons:
There has been a strong family history where we have lost cousins, aunts, and grandmother to cancer. Since we understand that genes can also lead to the development of cancer cells in the body, she had visited the doctor earlier to take precautions.
I feel that removing the ovaries at that time could have saved her. I always believe that precaution is better than cure. However, the doctor had told us it was unnecessary, and we believed him.
My sister-in-law was very optimistic as a person. Though she had her share of ups and lows during treatment, it did not affect her genuine disposition. Some side effects that she experienced were cough and dizziness.
When she was fine and able to support her body, she would go on walks and maintain physical fitness as far as possible. Notably, she had no problems such as imbalanced blood pressure or diabetes- these have become increasingly common in people of all ages now.
She was in constant touch with some of her colleagues, who were cancer survivors. It gave her immense strength and courage to face the disease.
She felt that if others could do it, she could do it too. We were impressed with the optimistic school of thought, which gave us hope. I was always there by her because she was very dear to me. Though our brothers and husband were always around us, a lady’s support was essential, and we could not overlook it.
Parting Message:
My message to every cancer fighter is to be positive and not give up hope. A neighbour in the vicinity is a cancer survivor and ran a marathon of 21 km. Such inspirational people are all around us; we must look up to them. A positive vibe is all it takes to make a difference!
